This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links it means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn More

The 5 Best Action Cameras Under $200

Akaso V50 Pro

We can all agree action camera prices are unnecessarily high. Still, it is possible to find a quality camera without making the money rain and still gain the versatile options that the action camera offers.

In this article, I will help you find the best action camera for under $200! Tons of digging has been done, and these chosen products have proven to be the best ones you can get at this price point.

A Quick Look at My Favorite Action Cameras under $200

ImageProductFeaturesPrice
Best 4K Camera
YI 4K Action and Sports Camera

YI 4K Action and Sports Camera

10
Check Price On Amazon
Best Budget
COOAU Native 4K

COOAU Native 4K

9
Check Price On Amazon
Best DSLR Camera
Drift Innovation Ghost XL

Drift Innovation Ghost XL

8.5
Check Price On Amazon
Best Versatile
Akaso V50 Pro

Akaso V50 Pro

8.6
Check Price On Amazon
Best For Money
AKASO EK7000 Pro

AKASO EK7000 Pro

8.6
Check Price On Amazon

Key Takeaways

  • To get a great action camera, you don’t have to spend over $200. There are a lot of many different brands that offer cameras with 4K recording capabilities at that price range.
  • One of my favorite cameras under $200 is definitely the Akaso EK7000 Pro. It’s very versatile and can go head-to-head with many high-end cameras.
  • The cheapest you can get is probably the COOAU Native 4K action camera.
  • When buying an action camera, the most important things you should look for are Video Quality, Durability & Battery Life

The Top 5 Best Action Cameras Under $200

5. YI 4K Action and Sports Camera- Best 4K Camera

YI 4K Action and Sports Camera

What I Like

  • Great Frame Rates
  • It has a built-in tripod mount
  • Lens Distortion Correction Features
  • Minimalist Design

What I Don’t Like

  • 4K is only at 24fps

Offering white pearl and night black color options, YI 4K Action and Sports Camera has a great built quality. The slightly matte and rectangle shape makes it no different from these unnecessarily high-cost action cameras. If you want to get the night-black version, you need to pay an extra few bucks.

It is an excellent action camera for every kind of use. This action camera is the perfect match for those who intend to Livestream mostly.

YI 4K Action and Sports Camera packs a 2.19 LCD Gorilla Glass and Retina Touchscreen where it is pretty easy to use. The Gorilla Glass is super resistant against scratches and against any harsh drops you can make unintentionally.

With the 160° view angle, there is no way you can miss a perfect shot on the 640 x 360 widescreen. You can preview and shoot your photo or video easily.

YI 4K Action and Sports Camera offer very advanced features. Starting from the image quality, the action camera offers a 12MP raw image with a built-in Sony IMX377 image sensor. It creates stunning picture quality in a detailed form.

YI 4K Action and Sports Camera captures 4K videos at 30fps, a high-quality video at 1080p with 120fps.

Supporting Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) YI 4K Action and Sports Camera helps to detect when the camera flips, moves, or shakes. Image stabilization is important if you plan to record sports such as skiing.

The sensors in the camera use an algorithm where it changes the blurry vision into a stable photo or video. The cooling system doesn’t let the camera overheat, so you can continue shooting in a stable form.

Now, let’s talk a little bit about the battery life. YI 4K Action and Sports Camera allows you to record 120 minutes in 4K resolution in its 8-hour stand-by screen. If you want a reliable camera that you can use to shoot slow motion videos with a great video quality, then this camera wont let you down.

Why should you buy it?

Action cameras are known for their video quality. The YI 4K Action and Sports Camera is one of the greatest cameras you can find, especially if you consider its amazing 4K quality.

Check Price On Amazon

Sample Pictures of YI 4K Action


4. COOAU Native 4K – Best Budget

COOAU Native 4K

What I Like

  • Very Cheap
  • Great For Beginners
  • Good Battery Life
  • High Quality Images

What I Don’t Like

  • Can’t record in 4k

COOAU Native 4K is covered in black color with its sleek and stylish design. The case is built from durable plastic where you have to put the camera inside the transparent case.

The Waterproof and Anti-Shake special features are here to make your memories last forever without any blur. You can shoot under the water up to 131 feet with a rugged case.

COOAU Native 4K features Sony 20 MP sensor to elicit a great upshot in the end. It records 4K resolution at 60fps and Full HD 1080P at 120fps. With the 11 Shooting Modes and 7 Professional AWB Modes, you will absolutely capture the perfect moments while the result will be in a detailed and crisp form.

There are also Loop Video, Time Lapse Video, Slow Motion, Fast Motion, Dash Cam Mode, Burst Photo as well as 7 Auto White Balance Modes. Basically, you have every stuff to create the content you ever dreamed of.

For more hyper smooth videos, COOAU Native 4K uses Smart EIS Stabilization to detect any of your movements and stops shaking the moving subject.

The 8x zooming gives a lot more opportunities to shoot freely. Adjustable Wide Angle helps you find the best angle by narrowing or widening the angle to help you catch more vivid footage.

For more super cool content creation, COOAU Native 4K uses an external microphone and noise reduction technology to eliminate the low-quality voices from the distance. With wind noise reduction, you get to shoot natural and clear audio quality.

The battery life in COOAU Native 4K action camera lasts about 2 hours if you record in Full HD mode and only 1 hour if you shoot in 4K resolution.

To conclude, i would say that the video quality you get from this camera is more than what you pay for, so i’d definitely recommend it to everyone on a budget.

Why should you buy it?

I know that we’re here to choose a camera based on budget, but I would like to recommend you choose the COOAU Native 4K as it is the cheapest.

Check Price On Amazon

Sample Pictures of COOAU


3. Drift Innovation Ghost XL- Best Battery Life

Drift Innovation Ghost XL 1

What I Like

  • Great For Bikers
  • Can Be Used As A Dashcam Too
  • Easy to mount

What I Don’t Like

  • Sound isn’t that good

Drift Innovation Ghost XL coming in matte black or white color options. It is shaped like a rectangle and has a slightly bigger body construction than other cameras and it’s also lightweight.

Drift Innovation Ghost XL has a 330° rotatable lens for image adjustment. It allows you to shoot on varied surfaces while making sure it stays stable to the recording frame.

The action camera shoots videos and pictures in High Resolution. It manages to record 1080P video quality and the images are captured at 30 fps speed with 5x optical zoom.

Drift Innovation Ghost XL has a 12MP camera and shows a great performance during nighttime and low lighting conditions. It is an ideal camera for, sports, biking, hiking, motorcycling, and snowboarding. Did I mention that the Ghost XL is rated IPX7 waterproof? If I didn’t, now I’m telling you all it can be used in the 3.2 feet deep under the water. Every weather type is ok for Ghost XL whether it is snowing, windy, rainy, or the sun is shining.

There is a Dash Cam Mode where the camera keeps shooting while it is charging with a USB power supply. Besides the USB, this camera also owns WiFi with which you can connect it to other devices. Besides that, when using a network (WiFi), you can connect up to 10 cameras at the same time and this mode on the Drift Innovation Ghost XL camera is called the Clone mode.

Drift Innovation Ghost XL uses Event Detection where it starts recording you when any incident happens. The Gyro sensor starts working when a car hits yours, and then immediately starts recording. This is a great proof to use for insurance.

The strong and long-lasting battery life in Drift Innovation Ghost XL lasts about 9 hours in Full HD recording. You can vlog what happens throughout the day without limiting yourself to perfect shots. Just because the battery life is super long, it makes this camera ideal for vloggers, and social media influencers too. Definitely a great action camera under $200.

Why should you buy it?

A camera cut off from its battery life is something everyone hates, and the Drift Innovation Ghost XL is one of those with the most amazing battery life. If you consider the battery a feature, you should check it out.

Check Price On Amazon

Sample Pictures of Drift Innovation Ghost XL


2. Akaso V50 Pro- Best Versatile

Akaso V50 Pro

What I Like

  • Great Value For Your Money
  • Can record at 4K@30Fps
  • Great Image & Video QUality
  • Touchscreen

What I Don’t Like

  • Image Stabilization Isn’t That Good

Akso V50 Pro comes in two colors, black and gray which has nothing more specific about the outer appearance than a usual action camera. The intuitive IPS touch screen is super responsive and the UI is so easy to use.

Akso V50 Pro shoots stunning 4K videos at 30fps speed, so every move you make is going to be smooth and clear in the fast-moving subjects. As a nice point, there is a 720p at 120fps slow-motion option, a time-lapse video if you want to speed up your content, and different scene modes for different types of sports.

The 20MP camera will keep your images super sharp and in detail. The Optional 170-degree wide view angle shots let you adjust the angle how you prefer the video or the picture to look like.

This action camera supports a waterproof feature where it lets you catch the perfect shot at 98.4 feet deep in the water. All you have to do is turn the Diving Mode on, it will filter the red light under the water. There is no need for extra payment to buy a new red filter. The temperature that Akso V50 Pro works is from 23 °F to 113 °F.

Akso V50 Pro features an Electronic Image Stabilization to detect any motion or movement the chosen subject makes. Even if shakes, moves, and tilts, the action camera still creates stable videos. Plus, it also offers an improvement to image distortion calibration.

If you want your videos to be a step forward, Akso V50 Pro supports external microphone use. It will catch any sound from the distance, so your voice can shine through. The external microphone is sold separately.

The battery life in Akso V50 Pro is not very impressive, but it gives a decent hour and a half time of the shooting.

Why should you buy it?

Image stabilization, resistance, and great video quality; all these things mentioned make this camera one of the greatest ones that you can find.

Check Price On Amazon

Sample Pictures of Akaso V50 Pro


1. AKASO EK7000 Pro – Best For The Money

AKASO EK7000 Pro

What I Like

  • Can Record In 4K
  • Very Easy To Use
  • Can Be Used Underwater With The Case
  • Surprisingly Good Audio

What I Don’t Like

  • None At All

AKASO EK7000 Pro looks like a normal decent action camera. It is designed as half sleek and half rugged material. The red-lined circle is placed in the middle of the camera and together with a waterproof case, the appearance of this action camera is completed.

AKASO EK7000 Pro has an ultra 2-inch IPS touch screen and wireless remote control from the wrist. The easiest action camera to use so far with its interface, while shooting, previewing basically everything is controllable on the small screen. On the other hand, wrist control is so practical if you plan to use the camera while cycling, skiing, or surfing.

The video quality in AKASO EK7000 Pro is magnificent. Supporting 4K resolution at 25 fps & 2.7K 30 fps video recording will make everything appear in clarity. Now the 16MP camera for image shooting is also super clear. No worries, the small details are shown in the tiny little action camera, so you won’t miss what is going on in the background.

A must-have feature in the action camera is Electronic Image Stabilization, which ensures all of your videos and pictures are impressively steady and smooth.

The waterproof feature allows you to use AKASO EK7000 Pro under deep water under 131 feet. It will surely be your best buddy in your underwater adventures. It is the best used for sports like swimming, surfing, diving, and snorkeling where you won’t miss this exciting or daring experience. It has the Diving Mode that waits for you to turn it on. It can make up for the lack of the red light under the water scenes.

If you turn on ‘Loop Recording’ and ‘Upside Down’, you can use the camera for multi-functional purposes, for example, a professional dash camera.

AKASO EK7000 Pro 4K Action Camera battery life lasts around 90 minutes, which is enough to cover the adventure part of your journey. For the money, it’s definitely the best action camera under $200.

Why should you buy it?

This camera is perfect for searching for the best action camera under $200. It owns amazing features and still is super affordable.

Check Price On Amazon

Sample Pictures of AKASO EK7000 Pro


Where Is The Best Place You Can Use The Action Camera?

Basically, the action camera can be most enjoyable when it is used

-Under the water spots like ( snorkeling, diving, and swimming)

male snorkeler using action camera underwater 2021 09 04 00 09 08 utc

-Over the Mountains like ( Climbing, Hiking, Mountain Biking)

portrait of base jumper wearing wingsuit with acti 2022 03 04 01 46 08 utc

Some Info To Figure Out The Best Budget Action Cameras

Video Quality

If the action camera is not proving a Full HD or 4K resolution, fro, from 30 fps to 60 fps, then the camera is not going to give you satisfaction with the results.

Durability

If the action camera can’t take a few drops and harsh weather, it’s not worth a single penny.

Battery Life

Some action cameras offer many hours and some half an hour. If you can’t catch the whole adventure video, then where’s the fun of it. Be careful and choose the camera that has long-lasting battery life.

Final Words

First of all, the action camera should not cost an arm and a leg, on the contrary, you can find the same camera types with less cost and decent quality.

No worries if you don’t want to spend much because we have other things to care about or maybe we are penny pinchers and find it hard to spend all the money unnecessarily

Many of them have versatile options and features where their quality of them will blow your mind together with their durability.

While reviewing these action cameras, I noticed the Full HD and 4K quality is unexpectedly impressive. Many modes that are included inside the camera are used in the professional matter. Ease at use even if you are a beginner in the action or let’s say adventure world.


Frequently Asked Questions

Are action cameras easy for beginners?

Action cameras are easy to use, and they won’t be a problem for beginners. Plus, many beginners in the field of photography have started their career with action cameras.

Are action cameras really expensive?

They indeed are! Action cameras, especially the most famous ones, are really expensive. However, you can find some of them that might be considered affordable or at least budget ones.

Which GoPro action camera is the most affordable one?

I know that most people want to see a list of GoPro cameras here, but GoPros are somehow expensive. Still, a GoPro camera is considered affordable, and it is the GoPro Hero 7.

Further Reading

If you liked the article and are interested in more about the action cameras, you can always check Best Action Cameras With Longest Battery Life – Which Has The Longest?

If you are looking for some action cameras for your kid, then this article will definitely help Best GoPros For Kids in 2022 (5 Great Action Cameras).

If $200 is way too expensive, I got your back, my friends, how about Best Action Cameras Under $100.

For my beloved hunters, I have The 5 Best Action Cameras For Hunting (Reviewed) and if the battery of your current action camera is not satisfying, then check Best Action Cameras With Longest Battery Life – Which Has The Longest?.